1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an apparatus for automatically and continuously incising tubular organs such as intestines removed from animals such as pigs and cows.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beef and pork intestines are cut into pieces and used as materials of foods such as oriental-style grills and skewered meats. As pre-treatment before cooking such foods, the contents of the intestines and fat layer deposited on the surface thereof must be removed.
Such pre-treatment is conventionally done by hand, but there is a demand for automated continuous processing of intestines because it is a troublesome and insanitary job.
The present inventor has previously disclosed an apparatus for incising intestines in Japanese Patent Publication Hei 1-25537. This apparatus comprises a guide rod for inserting into intestines and guiding them, a pair of endless belts disposed on both lateral sides of the guide rod for backwardly transporting the intestines put over the guide rod, an incising blade disposed above the guide rod for incising the intestines longitudinally, and a rotary cutting blade disposed below the guide rod for cutting so as to remove the fat layer deposited on the outer surface of the intestines.
In this apparatus, a coil of intestines is loosen, and the leading end is put over the top end of the guide rod and is transported backward along with the rotation of a pair of endless belts which are in frictional contact with the intestines on both sides of the guide rod.
In the course of the transportation, the intestines are incised longitudinally by the rotation of the incising blade at the upper portion thereof and, simultaneously, the fat layer deposited on the underside of the intestines is cut and removed by the cutting blade.
It is thus possible to treat animal's intestines automatically and continuously by this apparatus.
However, when the apparatus was put to practical use, several practical problems were found to need solving.
Since the intestines after the incision are difficult to handle, being slimy and dirty, appropriate subsequent treatments are also required
Moreover, the diameter and thickness of animals' intestines differ on the kind of animal. If the thickness of the intestines is too large, it is difficult to seize the intestines between a pair of belts. On the other hand, if the thickness is too small, the belts and the surface of the intestines cannot come into close contact with each other, and transportation is difficult or even impossible.
Further, the fat layer deposited on the lower portion of the intestines cannot be removed uniformly by the rotary cutting blade.